Fleas and more Fleas

[rubyduby]

HELP! I am going around in circles, cant seem to rid my girls of fleas, one in particular has an allergic reaction and is scratching madly .I have a cupboard full of 'natural wonders' that havent worked, losing the will to live...poor dog isnt sleeping well and neither am I .
Can ANYONE suggest something that doesnt take weeks to work, as she needs help now...I am tempted to go down the route of vet chemicals as a last resort , but I dont want to as I know they are pesticides and dangerous for dogs but................!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jaysmumagain]

You may need to go down the chemical route this time if they have really got a hold.  Have you used a Permethrin based shampoo, it would kill what was on them, but would need a spot on/seresto collar or tabs to follow as it would not stop re infestation.  Also the carpets bedding soft furnishing need treatment.

My only other suggestion, which I have never used on a Ollie dog is Diatomaceous Earth, it gets rid of ants ( a summer problem for me) it's like talc powder, and would help on carpets etc, look at https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/benefits-diatomaceous-earth/  think I would have a good read though before I actually used on the pooches....

Hope you get sorted....

[Mudmagnets]

I use Advantage250 spot on and have done for many years with no adverse effects on either dog. Get mine from VetUk, much cheaper than the vets.

Sometimes, I guess, you have to decide which is the lesser of 2 evils (chemicals Vs uncomfortable dog)

[Mari]

Chemicals are not necessarily dangerous. Medicine is carefully tested, potential side effect generally well known, dosage perfected for safety and effectiveness. The truth is that "natural remedies" can have side effects too and are not tested as heavily or under the same strict regulations as prescription medicines. Best and safest thing you can do for yourself and your dogs is to get veterinary help. You'll get a treatment with documented effect that has been tested to be as safe as possible. Vets don't just put random pesticides on your dog. Tons of reasearch goes into making sure it is a safe and effective treatment, any side effects are continously reported on to make sure prescription drugs on the market are safe to use.

[juju]

I have always used Bravecto with Izzy. There have been no problems with it in 8years and no fleas or ticks.
       Julia

[Archie bean]

While I appreciate the desire to use natural products (I use Billy No Mates as a beastie deterrent) I’m afraid that once fleas have taken hold the there is nothing for it but to go down the chemical route. After Archie became infested when visiting my brother and his 10 cats, I realised that you need to act fast and firm. For immediate (i.e.15 mins) results with killing existing fleas then I used Johnson’s 4fleas tablets. They can be used with other flea treatments with no issues and really work - relief for the poor pooch!
You will also need to kill the eggs around the home. I used Indorex spray - expensive but again fixed the problem. I sprayed the whole house and car, I also washed all his bedding in the hottest available wash.

[Barry H]

I use Advantage250 spot on and have done for many years with no adverse effects on either dog. Get mine from VetUk, much cheaper than the vets.

Sometimes, I guess, you have to decide which is the lesser of 2 evils (chemicals Vs uncomfortable dog)

Ditto and ditto.  Jack picked up a few this year for the first time.  Tried Effipro (useless) and Frontline (also useless).  Fleas were history after as little as 24 hours with Advantage.  Also had no adverse effects.

My strategy is nuke 'em with whatever gets rid quickest and use Indorex around the house.  I prefer the Arnold Schwarzenneger approach not Wimpy Walter...

[phoenix]

Once they’ve hopped onto the furniture or carpets, chemicals are the only sure way to get the egg hatch rate under control.  Do you have a cat or rabbit, who harbour them?